Your Walk Is Just That--Your Walk

Last night my bff and I went to a late dinner at restaurant x (Downtown ATL). We met a couple of nice guys in there etc; we ended up in the rest bar for quite some time chit chatting etc. I decided that I was “ret” to go at around 1130 ish. We were preparing to leave and the guys we met decided that they would walk us to our car being it was so late. We were walking down the steps and there was a guy sitting there on the bottom step. My bff thought it was perhaps someone waiting for someone to exit the restaurant so she kidded with him etc. I was next coming down the steps so I sort of kidded with him as well.


We realized he wasn’t actually waiting on anyone at some point. He looked back at me and said "I am so hungry, please give me some food." "I am not asking for money but can you please get me something to eat." It was something so honest in the way he said that to me.

One of the guys that were walking out with us was like don’t be stopping entertaining these crack heads. It didn’t matter what anyone said at that particular moment, I was not going to walk away from any human being on this earth that was only asking me for food.

My bf and one of the guys was almost to her car, I immediately told the man; let's go inside, I will get you something to eat.

In the background I could hear opposition from both of the guys that were walking us out about what I was doing. I didn’t care, even when one of them said, "those people don't care about you, you don’t know that dude, he could hurt you", "and he will get this food from you and probably go sell it to another crack head up the street". If I die or get hurt or attacked because I was choosing to do what I felt was right, I have served my purpose on this earth. Perhaps my purpose was to simply choose humility. I can accept that. If the concerned friend was trying to frighten me, that didn’t quite work. He has no clue how many foreign country back alleys that I have strolled through, how many war zones that I have been in, how I have even once found myself lost in a jungle, not to mention the time I found myself in a very intense situation - swimming towards a school of sharks in an ocean of water in Costa Rica, making a wrong turn on the Southside of Chicago is #nobueno. I have been car jacked in Panama, robbed in Barcelona, within miles of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. He has no clue how many times I have engaged myself in my curiosities of the unknowns. So feeding some homeless man, outside some restaurant in downtown Atlanta ha, was piece of cake.

"I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, I WILL NEVER WALK AWAY FROM ANYONE ASKING ME FOR FOOD."

I am going to do my part and what he does with it is on him. Realizing that I may be looking stupid because perhaps this homeless man goes to this spot and hustles people every night. I didn’t care. I told him to come with me back into the restaurant. We went in there (they were closing) and I told the waitress to give him what he wanted. She handed him a menu and he rambled through it and placed his order, he really looked so happy that he was about to eat food. It was so sincere. Anyone can think that I am stupid but his aura seemed relieved that he was about to get some real hot food. I paid, gave him a big hug and continued on my way. I had an overwhelming feeling of peace.

It really touched me deeply the thoughts (this man only asked me for food) that there are actually people out there with no food to eat. All the food I throw away came to mind. This situation really disturbed me; it remains heavily on my mind even right now, an entire day later.

I was sitting here thinking like what can I do? I actually always ask, what can I do. Like I fed him last night but how will he eat tonight, tomorrow night. Why is he homeless? Why are there homeless and hungry in the supposed country of gold? I shuddered at the thoughts of just how many people are hungry and homeless, realized how blessed I have been my entire life. Wondered how many of us probably would have just walked away not even caring slightly. Wondered if more people cared and just done that one thing how much of a change that would have made.

I talked to this guy, found out he was a homeless and hungry veteran. Why is this like this? How one has been so willing to give your life for a country that doesn’t give a damn about you after you have served your purpose.

I have decided three things 1) I am going back to that restaurant later to find this guy. I am going to take him to a person that I happen to meet last week while preparing those books to ship to Africa. Coincidently, she has an agency that gives veterans shelter, food, medical services. See how God works? 2) I will use all of my resources, prepare Thanksgiving dinners and just drive around randomly and feed anyone on the streets that will accept. 3) That I just have to accept that this is just who I am and to no longer expect anything in return, not even a thank you, not even appreciation.

Perhaps, I saved this man’s life. Perhaps he will go on to clean himself up. Perhaps he will go on to open an organization to assist others as I have assisted him. Perhaps I was the spark that changed the direction of many lives.